The Water Cycle
Star Group Cards
Choice Board
Sample Lesson 1
Teacher Directions: Copy the cards, cut them out, and place them on the choice board.
Create a poster that shows the water cycle
and how it works.
You are a meteorologist for a local news
station. You have been asked to explain
why there has been a lot of precipitation in
the area over the past few days. Use your
knowledge of weather and the water cycle
to explain this on a weather board, which
you can present to your news audience
(your classmates).
Act out the weather cycle and each part of
it with three friends. Create simple props
and costumes for your presentation.
Create a PowerPoint presentation that will
show the water cycle and its importance to
Earth’s weather. Present it to the class.
Choices Board
Sample Lesson 1
Overview of Activity
Ñ Students get to choose two activities from the choices
board. One activity is academically appropriate; the
other activity should be a challenge. There is a shape
listed for each activity, which identifies the difficulty of
that activity.
Ñ For the more challenging activity, students can work
with partners.
How This Strategy Benefits Students
Ñ A choices board provides above-grade-level students
independence by allowing them to make their own
choices and decisions about assignments.
Ñ Choices boards allow on-grade-level students to choose
one activity appropriate to their ability level, but also a
challenging activity to complete. This can boost their
self-esteem, challenge their thinking, and help them
with cooperative learning skills.
Differentiation Strategy
Choices (See page 158 for
more information.)
Ñ Below-grade-level students not only must choose one
activity that is on their ability level, but they also must
choose a second activity to complete with partners that
challenges them.
Ñ English language learners have the opportunity to
choose activities from the list, which helps them feel
more comfortable with the assignment.
Classroom
Management Tip
Learning Standards
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Skills Summary
Science
The water cycle
Literacy Skill
Using new information
Choices boards can be
made using a bulletin
board. Keep this bulletin
board up and implement
this differentiation strategy
once a week.
© Shell Education
Ñ Students know the processes involved in the water cycle
and its effects on climatic patterns.
Ñ Students use reading skills and strategies to understand
and interpret a variety of informational texts.
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Choices Board
Sample Lesson 1
The Water Cycle
(cont.)
Preparation
1. Create a choices board organizer for your classroom using the Group
Cards (pages 170–173). A pocket chart works well for this. Or, you
can glue library card holders to poster board and create the chart that
way. The chart should be 4 x 4 to fit all 16 task assignments. Display
the chart in the classroom.
2. Copy the Choices Board Sampler (page 174) for the students.
3. Copy the Choices Board Assessment (page 175) for the students.
Whole-Class Activity
168
1. Toward the end of the unit on the water cycle and weather, create a
choices board for your students as a way of assessment and application.
To make a choices board, write the assignments on different cards.
Then, randomly place the cards in pockets on a hanging chart. One way
to keep students from distinguishing ability grouping on the chart is to
give each assignment a shape, such as the ones provided in the sample
Group Cards (pages 170–173).
2. Begin by assigning students symbols according to their ability levels.
Above-grade-level students should be triangles, on-grade-level students
should be squares, English language learners should be the stars, and
the below-grade-level students should be the circles. Do not discuss the
specific levels with students. Instead, talk to them in terms of the
different symbols. In other words, you do not need to tell them that
they are choosing one activity on their level. Just tell them to pick from
one symbol.
3. Display the choices board pocket chart at the front of the room. Read
through the list of options for your students and explain that each
student will be choosing one activity that correlates with the shape
assigned. Answer any questions the students may have. It might be
helpful for students to have their own copies of this choice board. The
Choices Board Sampler (page 174) would be a page your students could
reference as they work on these assignments. A blank copy of this page
is provided on the CD so that you can more easily create your own
choices boards (filename: choices.doc).
#50080 (i2188)—Applying Differentiation Strategies
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The Water Cycle
Choices Board
Sample Lesson 1
(cont.)
Whole-Class Activity (cont.)
4. Next, explain that after the students complete the first activity, they will
be choosing an additional activity with partners who have been assigned
to them. For these additional activities, students will be choosing from
a more challenging list of activities. To do this, have on-grade-level
students choose an activity from the triangle category, English language
learners should choose an activity from the circle category, and belowgrade-level students should choose an activity from the square category.
The above-grade-level students will create their own activities which
will be approved by you.
5. To make sure your ELLs and below-grade-level students understand the
assignments, meet with them in small groups and reexamine the choices
on the choices board. Make sure the English language learners consult
you or another student if they experience difficulty on the independent
activity.
6. Give your students the entire class time to complete the first activity. If
time permits, let them work on the second activity. Otherwise, provide
time at the beginning of the next class to complete these assignments.
Assessment
© Shell Education
1. Give students the opportunity to assess their own work. Distribute
copies of the Choices Board Assessment (page 175) to your students and
give them time to assess their work. Ask your students if they want to
add any categories to further assess their work. Add these ideas to the
list.
2. Explain to students that as you review their assessments, you will not
only be looking at the work they completed, but also at their own
assessments in order to assign a grade.
3. If possible, let each student present one of the two activities to the class.
If students worked on an activity with partners, they can present it
together.
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Choices Board
Sample Lesson 1
Triangle Group Cards
Teacher Directions: Copy the cards, cut them out, and place them on the choices board.
How does the water cycle affect climates?
Create a map of three different regions,
and explain how their climates are affected
by the water cycle.
How is the water cycle like a busy city?
A business? A three-ringed circus?
Compare the water cycle to the three items
above by creating a colorful poster.
Create a list of questions you would like
to ask a meteorologist about the weather
and the weather cycle. Then, either write
a letter to a local meteorologist to get the
answers or research the answers yourself.
Create an experiment that shows one of
the processes from the water cycle, such
as evaporation or condensation. Conduct
your experiment for the class. You may
research various experiments that you
might adapt concerning the water cycle
using the Internet.
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Square Group Cards
Choices Board
Sample Lesson 1
Teacher Directions: Copy the cards, cut them out, and place them on the choices board.
Pretend you are one of the parts of the
water cycle, such as evaporation. Explain
why you are important to the water cycle
and what life would be like without you.
Create a conversation between
condensation and evaporation, with each
stating why one is more important than the
other.
How is water made safe for us to drink?
You are an environmentalist explaining the
process that makes water safe in an article
you have written.
All of Earth’s oceans have dried up. How
is that going to affect the water cycle?
Report this effect in an important news
flash through a television broadcast.
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Choices Board
Sample Lesson 1
Circle Group Cards
Teacher Directions: Copy the cards, cut them out, and place them on the choices board.
Find examples of condensation you may
see in nature or in the classroom. List
them or take pictures of them.
You are a drop of water. Show your life,
from beginning to end, in a “baby book”
format.
Create an obituary for a drop of water,
explaining its life.
Create a set of flash cards concerning
the water cycle and its effects. Provide
answers for them.
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© Shell Education
Star Group Cards
Choices Board
Sample Lesson 1
Teacher Directions: Copy the cards, cut them out, and place them on the choices board.
Create a poster that shows the water cycle
and how it works.
You are a meteorologist for a local news
station. You have been asked to explain
why there has been a lot of precipitation in
the area over the past few days. Use your
knowledge of weather and the water cycle
to explain this on a weather board, which
you can present to your news audience
(your classmates).
Act out the weather cycle and each part of
it with three friends. Create simple props
and costumes for your presentation.
Create a PowerPoint presentation that will
show the water cycle and its importance to
Earth’s weather. Present it to the class.
© Shell Education
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173
Choices—The Water Cycle
Student Reproducibles
Name ______________________________________________________
Choices Board Sampler
Directions: Choose two activities from the choices below. Make sure your choices
correspond with the shape your teacher assigned you.
Pretend you are one of the parts
of the water cycle, such as
evaporation. Explain why you are
important to the water cycle and
what life would be like without you.
Create a poster that shows the
water cycle and how it works.
Find examples of condensation
you may see in nature or in the
classroom. List them or take
pictures of them.
How does the water cycle affect
climates? Create a map of three
different regions, and explain how
their climates are affected by the
water cycle.
You are a drop of water. Show
your life, from beginning to end, in
a “baby book” format.
How is the water cycle like a
busy city? A business? A threeringed circus? Compare the water
cycle to the three items above by
creating a colorful poster.
You are a meteorologist for a local
news station. You have been
asked to explain why there has
been a lot of precipitation in the
area over the past few days. Use
your knowledge of weather and
the water cycle to explain this on
a weather board, which you can
present to your news audience.
Create an experiment that shows
one of the processes from the
water cycle, such as evaporation
or condensation. Conduct your
experiment for the class. You may
research various experiments that
you might adapt concerning the
water cycle using the Internet.
Act out the weather cycle and each
part of it with three friends. Create
simple props and costumes for
your presentation.
Create a conversation between
condensation and evaporation,
with each stating why one is more
important than the other.
Create an obituary for a drop of
water, explaining its life.
Create a PowerPoint presentation
that will show the water cycle and
its importance to Earth’s weather.
Present it to the class.
How is water made safe for
us to drink? You are an
environmentalist, explaining the
process that makes water safe in
an article you have written.
Create a set of flash cards
concerning the water cycle and its
effects. Provide answers for them.
All of the Earth’s oceans have dried
up. How is that going to affect the
water cycle? Report this effect in
an important news flash through a
television broadcast.
Create a list of questions you
would like to ask a meteorologist
about the weather and the weather
cycle. Then, either write a letter to
a local meteorologist to the get the
answers or research the answers
yourself.
174
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Choices—The Water Cycle
Student Reproducibles
Name ______________________________________________________
Choices Board Assessment
Directions: You will have the opportunity to assess your own work. Respond to the
statements below by grading yourself on a scale of 1–5, with 5 being the best. Circle the
number in each row to respond to the following statements.
Disagree
Agree
Your completed assignment is easy to understand.
1
2
3
4 5
Your completed assignment is easy to read.
1
2
3
4 5
Your completed assignment is creative.
1
2
3
4 5
Your completed assignment is able to grab the audience’s attention.
1
2
3
4 5
Your completed assignment has correct spelling.
1
2
3
4 5
Your completed assignment has correct punctuation.
1
2
3
4 5
Your completed assignment has correct grammar.
1
2
3
4 5
Your completed assignment has figurative language in it.
1
2
3
4 5
Comments
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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